The Artifice
by Ego Sum Primus
Summary: Mankind is no stranger to strife. For most, the trials of life have shaped and defined them. For some, there is no end in sight for their tribulation. Follow the story of a disparate group of Guardians as they overcome challenges ranging from discovering their identities, to averting catastrophes of colossal proportions. Some lorebending; title and rating subject to change.


_A bleak wind blows across the ravaged landscape, drifting through cracks and chasms left behind by devastation long since past. Yet the howls of the phantoms of ages still echo off the obsidian and brimstone, only but a remnant of the black that swallowed it. Noxious vapors flood the air, obscuring the perimeter to only those with the necessary equipment to traverse it. But the fumes the volcano breathe do nothing to deter the man standing in the dark gray miasma. He breathes as anyone would, his chest slowly expanding and compressing, immune to the poisonous air._

 _His hair is black, onyx. Black as the obsidian on which he is perched. His left eye matches the smoke, an inhuman hue of dark gray lining his pupil, which stared deeply into the abyss of the magma chamber, illuminated brightly by the blue glow of the lava within. The right side of his face is scarred; marked. Dark tracks run down his visage, crossing most heavily over his right eye. Yet there is nothing. It is only a clouded void of darkness. No deeper, darker black has ever been seen before. But it can still see. It can still observe. It can watch more than just what lay before it. It can see beyond this plane of existence, countless time lapses are revealed to it. And the man knows all that the darkness can see. He can see everything. Know everything. He is dangerous._

 _A woman draped in shadows approaches in a cautious stride, the other figure's back turned to her. She makes no sound with her movements, but the man knows she is there._

 _"Even in the most primordial chronologies, you always seem to find me.", The man mutters, wit on his tongue. His voice is sinister, dripping with raw nefariousness._

 _The woman draws a bizzare weapon from the sling on her back, positioning the crosshairs of the rifle on the figure before her._

 _"You bore me with your idle banter.", the woman retorts caustically. Her voice is accented. Hollow; metallic. Yet brimming with power and volume. Both of these beings retain some degree of authority. What kind of authority is unknown. "Stand down, angel.", she spits, as if the noun was intended as an insult. "I have chased you now, before, and beyond. You will not escape again."_

 _Even as the man stands with his back to the woman, it is evident that a smile spreads across his face._

 _"You know you can't kill me. I will never not hold this power over you, in any timeline spun by the stars. You follow perpetually into the tapestry of infinity, stumbling in unknowing. As you work tirelessly to untangle the webs I weave, I come closer to reclaiming what is mine."_

 _The woman counters him quickly: "Not this time, Rahizel. I'll have no one and nothing fall victim to you anymore. I have pursued you through eons, stalked you between the wavelengths of space and time. I have followed your every step, angel. And now you have nowhere left to run anymore. You are trapped endlessly. You will never interrupt my mission again."_

 _The man named Rahizel swings round to face her. Darkness consumes his face, a cloud of black smoke obstructing his face from view._

 _"Time has no shackles on me. I am immune, infinite. Your feeble attempts to avert catastrophes that have repeated in trillions of continuums are valiant. But you fight to break free of chains that do not exist. It is an inevitable constant for the streams of time to intertwine, a singular fate funneled into a single timeline. This is the nature's final equation to solve chaos. There is no other answer than this."_

 _The woman shakes her head defiantly, stepping closer to Rahizel and priming her rifle. "No! You're wrong! I have pulled the tangles apart! I will not allow that to happen!"_

 _A low gurgling emanating from Rahizel could be construed as a chuckle, immediately following a deafening rumble. The terrain around them quakes and sways, the earth trembling beneath them viciously. The woman's gaze snaps to the ground as she struggles to regain her balance. A small crack in the soil expands to become a jagged chasm in the ground, pulling the woman and Rahizel far apart. From across the fissure, Rahizel calls out to her._

 _"You stand on the dead sun, Sol, as it falls to pieces! Once again, I have tied the strings of time together, and severed them! And you can do nothing to stop it!"_

 _His voice is loud and thunderous over the chaos of the dead sun crumbling around them. The woman steals one last bitter glance at Rahizel before a shroud of technological glyphs and glitches surrounds her, and she disappears from sight, leaving nothing behind but the air where she was split and shifted in contorted designs._

 _The dark face of the man turns forward, staring deep into me, into my being. Hands clutch my body, and I seize completely. I cannot look away._

 _And suddenly his voice ascends to a monstrous tone, a profound, ear-shattering roar screaming in my head. The pain is unbearable._

I CAN SEE YOU

Vaine shot up, stifling a shriek of terror. Her hands clutched her bed sheets, moist with sweat. She let out a shuddering breath, trying to shake herself free, and to get an awareness of her surroundings. Clearing her mind of the nightmare, she focused on regulating her breathing, finding a rhythm in inhales and exhales. Reaching over to her nightstand, she switched on her bedside lamp, and promptly darted her eyes across the room, assessing all the things she could touch, smell, and feel around her. It was an exercise she practiced, to use to tranquilize herself after one of her nightmares. As the panic of the terrible dream slowly died down, her breathing slowed gradually, and the feeling of panic slipped away. She took one last deep breath before she looked to her left at the alarm clock beside her.

3:42 A.M.

Vaine's father made a point to her that they were to meet with the committee at the tower at no later than 6 A.M. for... something. She couldn't remember. Her mind was still reeling from the chaotic nightmare she'd been imprisoned in. Regardless, it wasn't important to her at the moment. She pulled the sheets away from herself to free her legs, and she stood up on her feet, yawning and stretching until her vertebrae made a satisfying crack. As she strode over to her dresser, she eyed the note her doctor had given her laid across it, a bottle of small, yellow and white capsules weighing it down.

'Take one only after nightmare. Do not take more than one per day. -Viska', it read, in sharp, scribbled handwriting.

Doctor Viska was a kind lady, always making sure Vaine had everything she needed. From her medicine, to her peace of mind, the doctor was always working with her and her father to alleviate the stress and trauma Vaine's condition caused. Vaine liked the doctor. Personable with of all of her patients, she's one of the most highly recommended and demanded doctors in the city. Although, her services cost quite a pretty penny. But it was without question that Vaine's father loved her immeasurably; nothing would stop him from getting Vaine the medical aid she needed, no matter the cost. Not that the money wasn't well spent. The doctor has done much to help with Vaine's plight. But even Viska couldn't identify the exact problem. In the end, she recommended Vaine and her father approach the Tower with their problem, suggesting that their medical facilities could do more for Vaine than she ever could.

Lightly shaking the bottle, a tiny pill fell out into her palm. As she swallowed it, she washed it down with a short glass of water she had on her nightstand.

Then she remembered. Her father had submitted a case to the Tower's medical board, pleading for one of the wards to take her and perform a professional evaluation. After he'd explained in the request that they've exhausted all options to help her, he mentioned that coming to the Tower's board of medical science was a last resort. Thankfully, the board agreed, instructing them that they were to arrive at a designated place and time where they can retrieve her. Vaine's father was relieved at the news, beaming at her and assuring her that 'they're going to help you get better' when he received the reply.

Vaine, however, was not. The Tower terrified her, not so much the tower itself as those who lived there. She'd heard stories about the supposed 'robots' that fly their ships up there, staying usually for only a couple of minutes before flying back out. They earned the moniker due to the fact that they were almost never seen without their helmets on. They hid their features behind masks of plasteel and fiber, gaining them an enigmatic reputation. Guardians, they were called. The Tower assures the city that they're here to protect the people, and that they're the city's primary militant and/or policing force. Vaine didn't know if they were human or not, and frankly, she didn't want to find out. The descriptions she'd heard of them made her afraid of ever going up there. Some were kind and gentle. Others were 8 foot tall brutes who crushed anyone and anything standing in their way. She couldn't even imagine what it would be like to see them up close. The only thing she cared for was the assurance that they protect the city and its people. She wanted nothing more from them. Hopefully, she wouldn't have to meet one when she and her father finally make the ascent.

Placing the glass of water down, she walked briskly to her bathroom, turning to the mirror to meet a disheveled reflection of herself, her short, straight white hair contorted in a messy bedhead. When she was just a baby, it gave her parents quite a scare once she began growing the straight locks of snow white hair, rushing her to the hospital immediately. However, the study conducted on her was inconclusive, no harmful or adverse effects from having such an unnatural pigment could be found. They were assured that she would grow into a healthy little girl despite that.

She frowned at her own reflection, dissatisfied with her features. She was too skinny. She wasn't pretty. She didn't fit the description of a normal girl of her age by any means. She was supposed to be a ditzy, smartass teenager, not the quiet, timid, and dejected sixteen year old spirit she was. She hated it. She wanted to be normal. She wanted to go to school, have friends, go to parties, fall in love. It wasn't fair. Everyone reserved the basic human right to lead a life of their own, and she'd been denied that. To say it was disheartening was an understatement. She'd been a broken little girl her whole life. And nothing has changed. Of course, this didn't stop her parents from enrolling her in a home schooling program. At least an education wasn't denied from her, too. It was also one of the only things she enjoyed. She'd shown a natural aptitude for knowledge, her mother always christening her as her "little girl genius". She even was admitted to finish early, finishing up her credits by the time she was only fourteen. Her mother would have been so proud of her...

Vaine missed her mother copiously. She was her best friend, her role model. And she was taken away when Vaine was just eight years old. A savage sickness took her after she'd already been admitted into the Tower's finest hospital wards for an injury at work. They attempted to stop the infection from spreading anywhere else in her body, but it was too aggressive and too fast to pinpoint. She passed within two days. Vaine would never forget the day. A cold, rainy August morning... She'd seen a great big frog outside her window that morning, and she wanted to rush to the hospital with her father to tell her mother all about it. But she ran into her living room to find her father with his face buried in his hand, a comm phone in the other, teardrops on his pants leg, and his face red as blood.

Vaine was sick for weeks. She couldn't speak for months afterwards. It was yet another tear in her young heart that already had too many to begin with. The nightmares only got worse after that.

Vaine had had nightmares all her life, nearly crippling her psyche and self esteem. If it weren't for the treatments she received at such a young age, she'd be locked in a padded, white room by now. She was glad she had, too. She was all her father had left, and he was all she had left. It was lonely in their large condo afterwards, quiet and somber for years to come. But eventually, she and her father came together to continue living their lives together. She loved her father just as much as she loved her mother, but she still misses her dearly. At least her father had the same, sweet, caring soul her mother did.

She'd already shed all the tears left in her over her mother, so she pushed the thought away, not wanting to relive the past any more than necessary. Today, she was going to find the help she needed, and her mother could rest in peace knowing her little girl will conquer the evil that has plagued her life. She looked back up at the mirror, trying to muster a smile from her tired face.

Vaine also found that the entire length of her body was covered in sweat, from her forehead to her toes. It was expected by now. Every nightmare she had ended up with her soaking her clothes and bedsheets with it. She'd just decided to sleep naked, to save her the headache of having a clammy set of clothes to wash nearly every single morning.

But there was something off about that nightmare. It was so fresh and clear in her mind, even know. She usually forgets the events of her nightmare shortly after awakening, but the vivid image still replayed in her mind, over and over again, the man with the dark, cloudy face, and the metal woman aiming to gun him down. She could recall the dream with nearly perfect clarity. She could still hear that inhuman bellow reverberating through her bones. It worried her. Nothing else had been so terrifying, so strikingly lucid and real. She couldn't forget it. The medicine was supposed to help, but it still replayed in her mind like a broken record.

Vaine shook her head and pushed it all to the back of her mind as much as she could. She had a big day ahead of her.

* * *

After a short ride to the base of the tower, Vaine and her father met the security force standing guard at the terminal. She gawked in awe at the long, spanning line of hundreds of elevators, going up to the very top, and back down again at blistering speeds. It made Vaine nervous, her father noticing the worried look on her expression.

He chuckled, holding his grip on his young daughter's hand. "No reason to be afraid, love. Thousands of people use these lifts every day. It's completely safe."

Vaine's father was a short, portly man, with a round face and bright blonde hair, with a charismatic half-smile ever present on his face Although, the years have not been kind to him. His hands were coarse and blistered. His hair was giving way to a dull gray, and wrinkles were carved into his face like battle scars. There was also a sadness in his eyes, a soft droop of despair sunken within his sockets. Vaine noticed it soon after her mother died. She was the love of his life. His irises were of a faded greenish-blue tinge. He'd always joke with Vaine's mother that their daughter got her sapphire-blue eyes from him, always tossing the words "it's in my genes!" around, which her mother would scoff and laugh at.

Even at 5 o'clock in the crisp air of the morning, hundreds of people rushed in and out of the lifts, walking and talking on their ear comms a mile a minute, suitcases and other important items clutched in their hands. They'd been here since 4:30, waiting patiently in line to get past the crowds, the security and clearance teams working as fast as they can to get people in and out of the lifts, redirecting people further down elsewhere to get onto another lift, or detaining the ones too impatient to wait like everyone else, and throwing a fit over it.

Looking up as far as she could, Vaine couldn't even see the top of the tower, hidden away in a curtain of thin, white clouds. It was a wondrous sight, but also a daunting one.

 _How could anything be so huge? What if one of the supports suddenly fail? Will it all come crumbling down? What if it happens while we're up there?!_

She continued to observe the incredible/unnerving view as her father's lighthearted tone morphed into an annoyed one.

"At this rate, we're going to be late.", he sighed in consternation, crossing his arms. "I wish they at least had a place to sit. My feet are killing me."

As if on cue, the number her father had pulled was called, a resounding 'Number 627!' vocalizing over the chaos of the terminal.

Vaine's father looked down at her, holding up the card with the aforementioned number emblazoned across it. "That's us.", he chirped, a smile creasing his round face as he bent down to grab Vaine's belongings and personal effects, which were folded and packed neatly in a dark brown duffel bag.

Apparently it was also obligatory that Vaine stay there for at least a couple of days. Due to the peculiarity of her circumstances, they must have dozens of tests lined up to conduct on her, to ascertain the nature of her illness.

At first she objected to her father, but she soon realized that this will be necessary for her nightmares to go away, and they can help her. She wanted nothing else so badly in her life, so she ultimately agreed.

As they neared the terminal of the lift, the tall security bot took hold of Vaine's father's number card, a quick red scanner gliding down the surface of it telling the bot that they possess the correct clearance code for entry.

"Lift pass identified. Medicinal sciences access clearance granted. Please step inside the lift." Vaine and her father acquiesced, quickly stepping inside the wide, circular tube, and turning back to face the security bot. As it reached for its keycard, it droned instructions in its hollow, automated voice once again.

"Please stand as still as possible while inside the lift. Do not jump or attempt to shake the lift as it ascends or descends. Do not bang on or attempt to break open the glass inside the lift. Once you have reached your destination, please exit the lift quickly, so as the lift can be used for other individuals. Thank you for you patience, and welcome to the Tower."

Without given a chance to reply, the glass slid shut in front of them, and Vaine and her father were rocketed high into the air at an extreme velocity. Vaine nearly fell with a screech, but her father held tight to her arm as they ascended. Stealing a glance out of the glass for just a second nearly made her sick. She had to turn away and close her eyes.

She held on close to her father, continuing to avert her eyes and hold her breath until he shook her to get her attention. "Valerie, look."

She turned around to see the city, glowing in the golden morning light from high above the clouds, the view lighting up her eyes, and bringing a wide, genuine smile to her face.

"Wow!", she exclaimed. She'd been so caught up in the spur of the moment, she had completely ignored the fact that her father had called her by her first name, the name of her mother.

The city was so beautiful in the yellow, creamy light. She'd been so used to only seeing it through her window, or on the street. But from here, it was like she was seeing it for the first time, high above the clouds, higher than she ever thought possible. She felt like a bird in the sky, free to dive through the clouds and flit through the air. Hanging above the city like a moon was the mysterious, yet fascinating Traveler, a tarnished 'god' of light that had descended above the city, sleeping in a place high above the rooftops. The sun shimmered off its reflective surface like a mirror, making it gleam in the sunlight like it was a sun itself. She'd never seen the Traveler from so high up. It amazed her. She'd heard so much of the beauty of it, but word of mouth did no justice to describe its grace. She smiled again at the scene before turning around as the lift slowed to a crawl, and the door of the lift opened to a bland, white hallway.

It was completely plain. The doors almost blending into the walls, just barely indenting into them. It puzzled her. This was a hospital? Where are the nurses? The doctors? The busy bustle between corridors?

Vaine articulated her thoughts, glancing up at her father. "This is a hospital ward? Did we get off on the wrong floor?"

Her father said nothing, only mumbling to himself as he dug through his suit jacket for something.

Still muttering, and not answering her question, he found what he was looking for, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper from his jacket

"Now.. where is..that, uh.. Ah, here it is. Okay, let's see... Room thirteen.", He read from the wrinkled stationery, gesturing further down the hallway.

Something about the hallway was eerie. The completely plain white walls running the entire length of it, interrupted only by a simple black number with strange symbols above them next to each doorway. It made her heart race. The utter silence of the hall was very unsettling, with only their footsteps to break it. It felt like stomping on glass. She contemplated tiptoeing, but she didn't want to slow down and let her father walk ahead of her.

Finally, they stopped, adjacent from them was a door with a small black number reading '13'. Again, with another odd symbol above it. It appeared to Vaine like yellow triangles overlapping each other with green outlines. She could only wonder what the true meaning of it was.

Vaine's father stared blankly at the door, although it seemed as though he wasn't really looking at anything at all. After a short moment, he regained his composure, cleared his throat and knocked softly on the door.

Vaine gazed back to her father again, trying to elicit an answer from him. "What is this? Is this the way to the hospital? Dad?"

Again, he didn't break his line of sight to meet her gaze. He kept his mouth closed, stonefaced as they heard footsteps approaching the door from the other side. A couple of clicks and beeps, and the door hissed open, revealing a dark skinned woman in strange violet robes. The first thing noticed about her was that she was very lanky and tall. She nearly towered over her father. Vaine couldn't help but fix her eyes on the woman's features, strong and firm behind pursed lips. She reserved a regal air about her, almost as if she were queen of a kingdom. Not a look of pretentiousness, but an appearance that seemed to not only warrant respect, but demand it. The woman's shaved head also implied a discipline, a sharp focus cut from rigorous, lifelong training.

Whoever this woman was, she radiated power.

Her dark eyes met Vaine's father first, a smile breaking her lips apart.

"Harvey..", she muttered, extending her hand out to him. Vaine's father matched her grin, taking her hand in his own.

"It's good to see you again.", he replied simply.

She nodded slowly. "Likewise, old friend."

That bewildered Vaine even more. How does her father know this woman? Who is she?

The woman peered further down, meeting Vaine's awestruck glare. She bent down slightly to greet her, still wearing a soft smile.

"And you must be Valerie. My, what a beautiful young woman you are. I've heard so much about you. My name is Ikora Rey. It is a pleasure to finally meet you."

Before she could respond, Vaine's father cleared his throat, trying his best not to stumble over his own words, but failing miserably.

"Vaine. Sh-she goes by... uh..Vaine. Please."

Ikora glided her dark eyes back up to him, a bemused look on her face. But she promptly returned to her steely eyed look, nodding her head once.

"I understand." She turned back to Vaine. "My apologies."

Vaine would have accepted it, but she felt more inclined to thank her. Receiving an apology from her felt more like receiving an honor than an amendment for her mistake.

Ikora turned to allow more space between the door and her two guests. She gestured for them to enter.

"Where are my manners? Please, come in. Have a seat."

Vaine's father stepped inside immediately, but Vaine could do nothing but stand there, stupefied. This woman, Ikora Rey, obviously knows her father, from where, Vaine couldn't even guess. How would someone like her father know someone in the Tower? Did she know her mother too? And exactly who is this woman? There's no way she could be a doctor. There just isn't. Something wasn't right here.

But despite this, Vaine obliged, strolling inside the small room to find just two chairs on one side of a desk, and another on the opposite side. A small, decorative dresser sat in the opposite corner of the room, but Vaine couldn't see any use for it besides just for looks.

As she sat down next to her father, Ikora took the seat opposite from them, beaming yet another warm smile at them both. Even as she walked, she still seemed to emanate elegance with every step, power surging through her, even with such a simple action as walking. She summoned a small stack of papers from within the drawer of her desk, laying them out in front of her, and glancing over them with darting eyes.

She nodded, finding a writing utensil from within the desk, and scribbling something down on the blanks between small text.

Vaine exhaled nervously, unsure of what exactly was transpiring.

Suddenly, Ikora leaned back to face her and her father.

"Vaine, as you know, you're not in a hospital ward. You're in the Vanguards' private facilities. And I want you to understand that I think I can help you make sense of your nightmares... As well as alleviate the stress it causes you."

Vaine eyed her with a perplexed look.

 _How does she know about my condition? How can she help me? And who in the hell are the Vanguards?_

Noticing her confusion, Ikora turned to her father. "Harvard, I'm assuming you haven't explained to her what is happening?"

He shook his head slowly, muttering just loudly enough under his breath. "I didn't want to scare her..."

Finally, Vaine found her voice buried in her throat. "What? What are you talking about? Dad, what's going on? Answer me."

Her father finally looked her in the eye, sorrow dripping from his voice. "I.. I just want you to get the help you need."

Vaine began fuming, her blood boiling with rage. How dare he keeps secrets from her?! He was her father! But Ikora, probably sensing an argument, defused the situation before it could explode.

"Please, both of you, calm yourselves. Vaine, let your father explain."

Vaine held her father in an irked glare, awaiting her father's justification anxiously.

Returning her gaze, her father began hesitantly: "Miss Rey contacted me last night... She told me that she's seen this type of thing in other people your age, V. She told me that she can help you. She knows how to make the nightmares stop. And these things that you can do that you can't explain... She _can_. She called you... special."

Vaine's eyes dropped to the floor despondently. She knew what he was talking about. Strange things have been occurring recently. Things that she can't understand. Once, she reached for her favorite mug of coffee to take a sip, and an unseen force pushed it off the counter and smashed into the wall, breaking it into pieces. When she tried to tell her father, he didn't believe her, blaming it on her frustration, and told her that he wasn't mad that she threw and broke the mug. But denying that she threw and broke anything was futile. He just didn't want to hear it.

Another time, she and her father had gotten into an argument. Nothing too serious, but she was still livid with anger. Storming into her room, she slammed her door behind her, a loud crash resounding afterwards. Flipping around in surprise, she found that she'd ripped the door from the hinges, and sent it flying into the living room. He finally believed her after that.

The worst instance of it was when she awoke from a terrible nightmare one morning, and she found that her entire room had been utterly devastated, like a thief broke in with a crowbar and ruined everything they possibly could. Her lamp next to her bed was broken, her sheets ripped and torn, pictures, souvenirs and other knickknacks broken and ruined. Even her bathroom mirror was shattered, glass shards littering the bathroom floor. She'd never forget the moment when her father walked in, an expression of horror on his face.

But how could Ikora undo all of that? How could she find a cure for something so...unorthodox? And how was Vaine special? She was nothing more than a troubled little girl.

Ikora nodded her agreement. "It's true. You see, I knew your mother, Vaine. She told me about your nightmares as a child. I had my suspicions, but... now I know for a fact."

Vaine watched Ikora, baffled at what she was saying. How did she know her mother? When did they meet? There were hundreds of questions running through her head, she couldn't even begin to decide where to start.

She emerged with the only ones she thought were immediately relevant. "How am I... special? What do you know for a fact?"

Ikora's tone of voice sunk to a grim murmur. "I can sense that a great power rests within you, Vaine. Your dreams are more than just nightmares, dear. And the things you can do... I can do as well."

Vaine's eyes widened. She can do it, too? Does she know how to control it? Why does it happen?

She continued on. "I would like for you stay here at the Tower with me. At least for a couple of weeks. Then, we can assess the limits of what you can do. We can uncover your strength, and I can teach you how to control your power." She leaned forward, locking Vaine in a cold, hard stare. "I would like to take you under my wing in apprenticeship."

Vaine's mind reeled with rapturous delight. Someone finally understands! Someone can finally help her! She's not alone! But one thought crossed her mind, and chained her thoughts to the ground.

"Apprenticeship for what?"

Ikora grinned, the largest grin the woman has ever graced her with. "To become a Guardian."

"What?!", Vaine cried out in disbelief. "A Guardian? I-I can't be a-a... a Guardian! They're..."

"Robots?", Ikora finished for her, an amused smirk adorning her, chuckling as she did "I've heard the stories. Trust me, they're not robots... Well, not all of them."

Vaine shook her head, even more thoughts spinning around in her mind like a cerebral tornado. How would she become a Guardian? Wouldn't she have to train? How long would it take? What would she do as a Guardian? Why her and not someone else? Isn't she too young?

Ikora, in her brilliance, probably sensed Vaine's trepidation. "Don't worry, child. You'll be taken care of. You'll be trained as my apprentice, and you will learn to harness your capabilities, should they surface. As long as you continue to train and hone your skills, and your abilities, you will become a very powerful Guardian, indeed."

Vaine nodded, breaking apart and assessing the situation carefully. Maybe Guardians weren't so bad... They do protect the city from the 'Darkness'. She'd only heard of the term in hushed whispers from men and women much older and wiser than she. She knew the Guardians fight the Darkness back and away from the city, yet it did nothing to assuage the terror the term struck her with.

Ikora then presented her with a sharply onerous question: "But, listen carefully. Do really you want to do this? You are not obligated in any way, shape, or form to say yes to my offer. If you wish to not undergo the training, you can say no, and I can redirect you to the hospital wards to seek treatment, if you'd like. It is ultimately up to you if you want to accept Guardian apprenticeship and training. It is all up to you."

Vaine's brain screamed an emphatic 'No!', but her heart longed for an adventure, a purpose given to it, she ached for a life of her own, an individuality she wouldn't find anywhere else on this Earth.

She instinctively took a gander at her father, hanging on his approval before she said anything. Her father nodded warily, giving his consent with a smile. "As long as you be careful, and be respectful of your elders...", he assented.

She mulled it over in her head for only just a moment. But one answer rang true in her soul: Yes. She had to do it.

"Yes!", she cried, nearly bringing herself to tears in her excitement. Vaine couldn't suppress a smile from breaking her lips apart. She was going to be a mighty Guardian! How exciting! She wondered what type of Guardian she was going to be. What things she would do to protect the city and its inhabitants from harm.

Ikora shared her euphoria, she exhaled a hearty chortle, an ample grin following after. "Wonderful!", she proclaimed. "Your father will just need to sign a couple of documents...", she trailed off, digging through her desk, pushing papers to and fro to find what she needed.

Vaine was still ecstatic, but she remained rather analytical of her. "Are you a Guardian?", she inquired Ikora.

The woman smiled at Vaine's inquisitiveness, still burrowing through the drawer of her desk. "In a way. But I'm more widely known as one of the Vanguard. I act as a mentor toward citizens and Guardians alike. Many young people like yourself come to me seeking my advice. And I may not always have the answer to their problems, but I always try to assist in any manner I can."

Vaine still didn't understand exactly who Ikora was, but it was good enough explanation for now. All Vaine really needed to know was that she was very powerful, in both ability and authority.

"Here we are!", Ikora gleamed, pushing a small stack of official looking documents toward Vaine's father. He took them within his hands, glancing over them carefully.

Ikora began to explain further. "We can begin today. I trust you already know you'll need to stay for at least a couple of months? You can bring your things you have with you in, and we can requisition anything else you need."

Vaine's grin dissipated, taking a glance at her father, who was smiling with her, but noticed her change of expression. "What about my dad? Can he stay with us?"

Ikora faltered before she somberly shook her head. "No, Vaine, I'm afraid not. Your father will have to go back home in the city. Unfortunately, you will not be allowed to visit each other until your preliminary testing has been completed and verified. I'm sorry, but that's the way it must be. At least for now."

Vaine stumbled on her words, tears beginning to well in her eyes. "B-but, I need my dad. I.. I can't do this without him."

Suddenly, her father's large fingers gingerly grasped her hand. "Yes, you can, honey. You're strong, just like your mother. You can do anything you set your mind to."

Choking back her tears proved futile, and she broke down in a sob, throwing her arms around her father, and him following suit with her.

"Please don't leave me, dad. You're always there when I need you. I can't do this without you."

Her father gently stroked her hair, comforting her with his tight embrace. "Yes you can, baby. You're going to overcome your nightmares, and get better, and then you're going to become a Guardian. I couldn't be more proud of my little girl."

Both Vaine and her father sniffled, and as they broke away from each other, a large thumb wiped away a tear streaming down her face.

Bittersweet feelings rushed in and out of Vaine's mind. Her father had been her light in the darkness for years now. To be without him would lead her astray. She'd always depended on him for everything. She wasn't ready to leave him behind.

"It will be okay, sweetheart. I promise. Miss Rey will get you the help you need, and you'll become what your mother and I always knew you could be."

Vaine was somewhat surprised that her father was allowing this, but after contemplating it all night, he must have come to a conclusion. She knew it must be hard for him, to give away the very last thing he had left. But at least it was a step in a greater direction. Vaine would become her own woman, she would earn an identity, a reputation. She would make friends, have a sense of belonging, and lead a path of great pride. She would also move on from her father, they wouldn't communicate as much. He'd worry for her safety, pray for her safe return for the rest of his days. He'd never have peace of mind with her possibly being in danger. His world would end if he lost her too. Her father was heartbroken and jubilant at the same time. It couldn't be easy.

Ikora allowed them the time they needed, but now was time to continue on. Vaine's father took the writing utensil next to him, and filled in the blanks with the necessary credentials, and after a moment, handed them back to Ikora Rey.

She took them with a smile on her face, a reassurance that she would take good care of his daughter.

He stood up, wiping tears from his face with the cusp of his suit jacket, and taking another loving, fatherly look at Vaine.

She stood up to meet him, staring up to meet his gaze.

Following suit, Ikora stood with them, offering to walk him back to the lift.

As they reached the end of the plain white hallway, Ikora typed in a short code on the control panel to the side, summoning the lift to their floor.

Vaine and her father both locked in each other in their blue-eyed gazes, tears welling in both of their eyes as they did.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye for a while.", he muttered, shuddering with sobbing breaths.

"Yeah...", Vaine whimpered, fighting back another wave of tears.

Without saying anything else, the father and daughter closed in for one final squeeze, their arms wrapped around each other for nearly a minute.

Under his breath, he whispered in Vaine's ear. "You're going to do so good, baby girl. You can do it. I know you can. You've made it so far. What's just a little bit further?"

His words only broke her heart more, breaking down into another uncontrollable sob.

"I love you, Valerie.", he managed to mutter between shaky gasps.

"I love you too, Dad.", she managed to spill out, the pair holding on to each other for another minute before finally pulling away.

With a whoosh of air, the lift reached them, opening up with a slight hiss, beckoning for passengers to step inside.

Vaine's father stepped inside, again wiping tears from his eyes. He gave a final, reassuring, glimmering smile to his daughter before eyeing Ikora with a look of sincerity. "You keep her safe.", he commanded, to which Ikora responded with a deliberate bow, a gesture of a sentiment of farewell.

He promptly tapped the button inside the lift, to signal the door to close. He took a quick second to smirk at his daughter, mischief on his tongue. "Stay out of trouble."

Before Vaine could retort with something smart, the door closed with a pneumatic sigh, and her only instinct was to smile. Her dad would never let up with his humor...

She was going to miss him.

A comforting hand found Vaine's shoulder, Ikora's fingers squeezing her consolingly. She smiled down at her new pupil. "Welcome home, Warlock."


End file.
